The P-01 tilting demonstrator. For more information about
this train, see here.

Photo by Yann Nottara (ynottara@mail.dotcom.fr)

The P-01 tilting prototype, showing the gap with the power car when the
trailers tilt. The prototype's power cars do not tilt. For more information
about this train, see here.

Photo by Yann Nottara (ynottara@mail.dotcom.fr)

The laboratory car in trailer R1 of the P-01 tilting prototype. This
equipment was used to monitor and analyze the performance of the trainset
during several months of testing.

Photo by Yann Nottara (ynottara@mail.dotcom.fr)

In the face of fierce competition from Japan, arch-rivals Siemens
and GEC-Alsthom cooperated with the Eurotrain joint venture to try to
win the new Taiwanese high speed rail system. The unlikely result was
this hybrid demonstration train,
composed of German ICE2 power units 402 042 and 402 046 and the trailers
of French TGV Duplex trainset 224. This May 1998 photo shows one of the
German power units, redecorated to match the TGV trailers. The train
was tested up to 316 km/h on the German high speed line between Hannover
and Göttingen and demonstrated for Taiwanese dignitaries.
Modifications for the test included feeding 15kV power through the
Duplex roof cable to the leading ICE unit, installing an additional
converter in trailer 294224 for compatibility with the ICE's 1000V AC
head end power and installing extra data lines between the two ICE
units. Electropneumatic braking systems were incompatible, so braking
was done pneumatically only. The Eurotrain consortium lost to the Japanese
consortium.

A helping hand... 7-year old PSE trainset 12 tows the German ICE-V
prototype on the LGV Sud-Est high speed line in 1988.

Photo: Yves Broncard. Scan: Yann Nottara
(ynottara@mail.dotcom.fr)

In 1983/84, the TGV 001 prototype was used once again to help
investigate problems with the TGV's secondary suspension and develop
the new SR 10 secondary suspension. Note that a
PSE trailer is inserted in the TGV 001 trainset!

Photo: Yves Broncard. Scan: Yann Nottara
(ynottara@mail.dotcom.fr)

A Thalys trainset undergoing acoustic measurements at 330 km/h, in
Belgium, during a testing campaign in 1996. See explanation of acoustic testing.

Photo courtesy of A.C. Geerlings (geerlings@tpd.tno.nl)

Another acoustic test setup, this time with a TGV Atlantique in
1994. See explanation of acoustic
testing.

Photo courtesy of A.C. Geerlings (geerlings@tpd.tno.nl)

TGV Réseau trainset 534 in acoustic impact testing for the TGV
NG program, on line LN3, 17 January 1996. To reduce aerodynamic noise,
the bogies and parts of the roof were shrouded, windows were made flush
by adding a layer of glazing, and gaps between cars were covered with
rubber stretch membranes. CX pantographs were also fitted.

A segment of a prototype composite carbody for bilevel TGV trailers.
The cross-section is similar to that of the TGV Duplex, but construction
is honeycomb graphite composite instead of aluminum. Displayed at the
SNCF Bercy open house, September 1996